E-bike testing log: what to record on every ride
A good e-bike testing log records the same details on every ride (battery, assist level, distance, conditions and errors) and backs every fault with a timestamped photo or clip. BetaSuite: Tester's Toolkit (betasuite.app) is an iPhone, iPad and Android app built for this: it burns the date and time into every photo and video, keeps each ride as a session and turns them into a report for the manufacturer. The template and range test below work with any notebook or spreadsheet, and there is a free 11-step ride protocol to import.
The ride log template
Write the same fields down on every ride. A log with the same columns each time is what lets you say "range dropped after the update" instead of "it feels worse".
| Field | What to write | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Date, start time, route | The date, the time you set off and the route or loop. | Lets you repeat the same ride and line the ride up with any logs the manufacturer keeps. |
| Odometer and distance | Odometer at the start and end, and the trip distance. | The basis for any range figure. |
| Battery | Percentage at the start and end (and the voltage or bars if the display shows them). | A gauge isn't always linear, so record both ends. |
| Assist level | Which levels you used, and roughly how much of the ride in each. | Range and feel change a lot with the assist level. |
| Rider and load | Your weight plus anything you carry. | Range and hill performance depend on it. |
| Tyres | Pressure, front and rear. | Low pressure costs range and changes the feel. |
| Conditions | Temperature, wind, rain, surface and how much climbing. | Cold weather typically reduces range, and headwinds and hills use more battery. |
| Versions | Firmware for the bike, display, battery and app. | Engineers need to know exactly what you were running. |
| Errors and oddities | The code, the time and what you were doing. | This is where the findings come from. |
| Feel | A 1–5 rating and a line on smoothness, noise and vibration. | Subjective, but trends matter. |
Copy this into a notes app or a spreadsheet:
Date / start time: Route and distance: Odometer start / end: Battery start / end: Assist level(s): Rider + load weight: Tyre pressure (front / rear): Weather, surface, climbing: Firmware (bike / display / app): Errors or oddities (time, what happened): Feel (1–5) and notes:
And here is how one filled-in line might look. The numbers are made up, to show the shape.
| Date | Route | Distance | Battery | Assist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Oct, 7:40 am | River loop | 28.4 km | 100% to 41% | Level 2 | 9°C, light headwind, no errors. Slight rattle over the bridge. Feel 4/5. |
| 6 Oct, 6:15 pm | River loop | 28.1 km | 100% to 47% | Level 2 | 15°C, calm. Display dropped the app connection once near the park. Feel 4/5. |
What to test in an e-bike beta
Cover each area at least once, then repeat the ones that fail so you can say how often they fail.
| Area | What you are checking | Evidence worth capturing |
|---|---|---|
| Range | Distance per battery at a set assist level, rider weight and route. Use the repeatable method below. | Stamped photos of the display at the start and end of each ride. |
| Assist response | Smooth engagement from a standing start, no surge or lag, and sensible behaviour when you change level or gear. | A clip taken while stopped, plus a note of what you felt. |
| Assist limit | Assistance fades out at the legal limit for your region (25 km/h in the EU and Australia, for example) without a jerk. | A note of the speed and what happened. |
| Brake cut-off | If the bike has it, assistance stops as soon as you pull a brake lever. | A short note and, if you can do it safely, a clip. |
| Hills and heat | Holding assist on a long climb, and any overheating warning or drop in power. | A photo of the display at the top, with the time visible. |
| Display and app | Pairing, live speed and battery readouts, dropped connections, walk-assist mode and firmware updates. | A screen recording, or a dual recording of the app and the bike together while stopped. |
| Lights and accessories | Lights, bell or horn, lock and any USB port, at the start and end of the ride. | A photo if anything fails. |
| Charging | Time to charge from a known level, how warm the charger and battery get, and whether it stops at full. | A photo of the battery level and the time at each end. |
| Noise and vibration | Motor whine, drivetrain noise and rattles over rough ground. | A short clip with the sound, taken while stopped, and notes on the surface. |
| Weather | Rides in the rain only as far as the manual and the rated water protection allow. Never pressure-wash. | Stamped photos with the weather visible. |
Safety first. Wear a helmet. Test brakes, cut-offs and assist behaviour at low speed in a quiet, traffic-free place, never at speed on a public road. Don't use your phone while riding; stop first, then record. If the battery swells, smells, hisses, gets unusually hot or is damaged, stop using it, don't charge it, keep it away from anything flammable and contact the manufacturer straight away. Charge with the supplied charger, on a hard, non-flammable surface.
How to run a fair range test
Range depends on everything, so the only fair comparison is one where you change a single thing at a time.
- Charge fully with the supplied charger. Note the date, time and battery reading.
- Pick a loop you can repeat, with a known distance and amount of climbing.
- Fix the variables: assist level, tyre pressure, rider and load, and as close as you can to the same temperature and wind.
- Ride until the battery reaches a set point (for example 20%) rather than riding it flat, which can leave you stranded.
- Record the distance and the battery at the finish.
- Work out the result. Kilometres per 10% of battery is simple. If you know the battery capacity in watt-hours, Wh per km = capacity × (% used ÷ 100) ÷ distance.
- Repeat at another assist level, and again in different temperatures. Treat the numbers as comparisons, because battery percentages are estimates.
A pass/fail checklist for an e-bike
Agree your thresholds with the manufacturer's brief first. If it doesn't give any, write your own before you start (for example, "at least 40 km at assist level 2 on the river loop") so you aren't judging after the fact.
- Powers on, the display shows the battery level, the lights work and no error code appears.
- Each assist level engages smoothly from a standstill, with no surge, delay or cut-out.
- Brake cut-off stops assistance straight away, if the bike has it.
- Assistance fades out at the legal limit without a jerk.
- Holds assist up a long climb with no overheating warning or drop in power.
- Range meets the target in your brief at the agreed assist level.
- The app and display stay connected for a full ride.
- Lights and any accessories work every time.
- Charges fully with no unusual heat, smell or noise.
- No new rattle, clunk or grinding over the test period.
- Installs a firmware update cleanly and keeps your settings.
A fail isn't a verdict on the bike. It's a finding. Write it up with the conditions and the evidence.
How to capture evidence engineers can use
- Stop first, then record. Don't use your phone while riding. When something goes wrong, pull over somewhere safe, then photograph the display and make a note.
- Photograph the display at the start and end of every ride. A stamped photo of the odometer and battery beats a typed number.
- Put the app and the bike in one clip. For pairing problems or firmware updates, dual recording in BetaSuite records your phone's screen and the rear camera into a single video while you're stopped.
- Mark it as it happens. Once you have stopped, add a one-tap marker or a voice note with the time ("motor cut out on the climb past the park").
- Burn the time into the picture. A stamp that is part of the image travels with the file. File metadata is often stripped when a photo is shared or compressed. BetaSuite stamps every photo and video, with optional GPS, weather, season and time zone. More on that in the timestamp camera app guide.
- Photograph wear and loose parts. Cables, connectors, the charger, the charging port and anything that has started to rattle.
- One issue per photo, clip and note. Name it by what happened ("Cut out on Quarry Hill climb"), not "IMG 214".
What to send the manufacturer
A good report is short at the top, specific in the middle and backed up at the bottom. See how to write a beta test report for the full structure.
| Section | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| At a glance | Model and serial number, firmware versions for the bike, display, battery and app, test dates, typical rides and rider weight. Three sentences on how it went. |
| Findings, worst first | Safety issues first (anything involving the battery, brakes or sudden loss of control), then faults that stop the bike working, then annoyances. For each one: what happened, what you expected, how to repeat it, how often it happens and the conditions. |
| Ride log | Your log for the test period, as a spreadsheet or CSV, so they can see the pattern behind the findings. |
| Evidence | Time-stamped photos and clips matched to each finding by name or time. |
| What worked | A short list. Engineers also need to know what not to change. |
| Data files | A CSV or JSON of your findings if they ask. BetaSuite reports can ship with both. |
Here is the format for one finding. The values are made up, to show the shape.
Title: Motor cuts out on a long climb and restarts after about 10 s Severity: High (sudden loss of assist) Expected: Holds assist to the top of the climb Actual: Assist dropped to zero about 40 s in, no error shown, back after 10 s Frequency: 2 of 4 climbs, both with the battery under 30% Conditions: 8°C, assist level 3, 95 kg rider and load, firmware 2.1.0 Evidence: Photo of the display at the top, stamped 14:05:33
Want to see a finished report? Open the sample report (PDF). It has an At a Glance summary, findings sorted by severity and an image appendix.
Running it in BetaSuite
- Create a project for the bike, and note the model, serial number and firmware in your first session.
- Import the free protocol below. It has two free-text steps that work as your before-ride and after-ride log.
- Start a session for each ride. Capture the photos and clips the steps ask for, and drop a marker whenever something happens.
- After a few rides, generate a PDF or Word report with an At a Glance summary and findings by severity, plus JSON and CSV data files if you want them.
AI summaries are optional and opt-in. For units under NDA, Confidential Mode blocks cloud AI and cloud uploads, and warns you before you share or export anything. Everything is stored on your device, with no account.
Free BetaSuite protocol: e-bike ride test
This is a ready-made, 11-step protocol for one ride day with an e-bike. It was built with the site's own Protocol Builder, so the link below is a real import link. It opens and closes with a free-text log step, mixes pass/fail checks with choice, multiple-choice and rating questions, and asks for a photo or video where the evidence matters. Do the capture steps while stopped, never while riding. For the general idea, see the test protocol template.
E-bike ride test · 11 steps · free to import and edit
- Before the ride: record the battery percentage, odometer, tyre pressures, outside temperature, wind, and your total weight with any load.
- Power-on: the bike powers up, the display shows the battery level, the lights work and no error code appears. Photo: the display.
- Assist response: on flat, quiet ground at low speed, each assist level engages smoothly from a standing start, with no surge, delay or cut-out.
- Brake cut-off (if fitted): at low speed in a safe, traffic-free area, pulling each brake lever stops motor assistance straight away.
- Assist limit: as you reach the assist speed limit for your region, assistance fades out smoothly, with no sudden jerk.
- Hill climb: on a known climb, the motor holds assist all the way up with no overheating warning, cut-out or drop in power.
- How did the motor and drivetrain sound and feel?
- App and display: the companion app connects, shows live speed and battery, and stays connected for the whole ride.
- After the ride: record the battery percentage, distance, assist levels used, any error codes, and anything that felt wrong.
- Which problems did you see? Tick all that apply.
- Overall ride feel and confidence. 1 = poor, 5 = excellent.
Show the raw code
How to import it
- On your phone, tap Open this protocol. If BetaSuite is installed, it opens its import sheet with the code filled in. If the link opens in your browser instead, tap Copy code there (or here).
- In BetaSuite, open Test protocols, choose Import and paste the code or link.
- Edit any step to suit your unit, then run it. Your answers are saved to a session and roll up into the report. Protocols, sessions and reports are part of Advanced mode; if you're in Basic mode, Test protocols offers to switch for you.
Want to change the steps first? Open the link in the free Protocol Builder. It runs in your browser with no account, and you can generate a fresh code from your edits. Running a whole beta programme? See how to give every tester the same protocol and merge the results.
When BetaSuite is the wrong choice
BetaSuite covers everything from a single stamped photo to a full report for the manufacturer. It is the wrong tool only when:
- You need data from the bike itself. BetaSuite doesn't connect to the bike, battery or display, so it can't read telemetry, error history or power output. You type in or photograph what you see.
- You want a ride tracker. BetaSuite can stamp GPS coordinates on photos and videos if you switch that on, but it isn't a route-recording app and doesn't log speed or elevation. Use a bike computer or your usual tracking app for those, and keep both in your log.
- You want to film while riding. Don't. Stop somewhere safe first.
- You need lab numbers. Battery capacity, motor torque and certification testing need proper equipment, not a phone.
- You want to test an app, not hardware. BetaSuite is not a TestFlight or Google Play testing tool. See what a hardware beta testing app needs to do.
Don't need a report? If the manufacturer takes findings through its own portal or form, or you only want stamped photos and video, switch BetaSuite to Basic mode (Settings > App mode). It keeps every capture tool, including dual recording and Instant Capture, and leaves out projects, sessions and reports, so it works as a plain timestamp camera. Attach the files wherever the manufacturer asks, and switch back to Advanced at any time without losing anything.
If you run the programme rather than test in it, see the programme page. For the longer case for the app, see why BetaSuite.
Frequently asked questions
- What should an e-bike testing log include?
- The date, start time and route; odometer and distance; battery at the start and end; assist level; rider and load weight; tyre pressure; temperature, wind and surface; firmware versions; any errors with the time; and a quick feel rating. Write the same fields on every ride so you can compare them.
- How do I test e-bike range properly?
- Charge fully, ride a repeatable loop at a fixed assist level with the same rider and load and tyre pressure, and stop at a set battery level such as 20% instead of riding it flat. Record the distance, then compare kilometres per 10% of battery, or Wh per km if you know the capacity. Change one variable at a time.
- Is it safe to film while riding?
- No. Don't use your phone while riding. Stop somewhere safe first, then photograph the display, record a short clip and add a note. Save any tests of brakes and cut-offs for low speed in a quiet, traffic-free place.
- How do I report a motor cut-out or a battery problem?
- Stop riding safely, photograph the display, then write down the time, assist level, battery percentage, temperature and what you were doing, and how often it happens. If the battery swells, smells, hisses, gets unusually hot or is damaged, stop using it, don't charge it, keep it away from anything flammable and contact the manufacturer straight away rather than waiting for your next report.
- Can I use BetaSuite for a pre-release e-bike under NDA?
- Yes. Everything is stored on your device with no account. Confidential Mode blocks cloud AI and cloud uploads, and warns you before you share or export anything. Photos and videos also go to your camera roll by default, so if your photo library syncs to the cloud, turn Camera Roll off in Settings → Save Destinations before you turn Confidential Mode on. Check your NDA first for what you may photograph and what you may send, and by what route.
- Is BetaSuite a ride tracker?
- No. BetaSuite: Tester's Toolkit is a field-testing app for evidence and reports. It can stamp GPS coordinates on photos and videos, but it doesn't record routes, speed or elevation. Use a bike computer or tracking app for those.
- Is BetaSuite a TestFlight alternative, and is it a subscription?
- It isn't a TestFlight alternative. BetaSuite is not an app-beta tool and has no connection to TestFlight or Google Play testing tracks. It is a one-time purchase from the App Store or Google Play, with no subscription, no ads and no account. Each store sets the price.
Related guides
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